Connecticut Name Change Laws: Two Courts, One Possibly Free Option

Connecticut is unusual in giving name-change petitioners a genuine choice of court. An adult can either file a complaint in Superior Court under Gen. Stat. Section 52-11, with a hearing but no newspaper-notice step, or petition Probate Court using form PC-910, a pathway that reportedly became fee-free for petitioners in July 2023.

This guide covers both venues, the narrow restriction that applies to registered sex offenders and weapons offenders, and what is and is not confirmed about the Probate Court process.

Information last verified on 2026-08-11. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Adult Petition Process: Two Courts

Connecticut adults have a choice of forum. Under Gen. Stat. Section 52-11(a), Superior Court in each judicial district has jurisdiction over a name-change complaint from a resident, and the court may grant the change after a hearing on the complaint, with no newspaper-publication step. Alternatively, Probate Court offers a petition process using official form PC-910, Affidavit Re Change of Name (Adult).

Because Connecticut runs these as two separate systems, confirm which venue fits your situation, and check current fees and forms directly with the Superior Court clerk or the Probate Court in your district before filing.

Filing Fee

Connecticut's Probate Court eliminated its name-change filing fee effective July 1, 2023, according to secondary reporting; this was not independently confirmed against an official ctprobate.gov fee schedule for this guide. A general probate «all other petitions» fee is otherwise reported around $150, so the change-of-name-specific fee waiver, if still current, is worth confirming directly with your local Probate Court. The Superior Court complaint fee was not confirmed for this guide either. A fee waiver, form JD-FM-75, is available for family matters in Superior Court for those who cannot pay.

Minor Name Changes

Name-change complaints are classified as family relations matters under Gen. Stat. Section 46b-1(6), and the same general Section 52-11 complaint process applies without a distinct statutory minor subsection. Probate Court's PC-910 form is explicitly labeled «(Adult),» which suggests a separate minor-specific probate form and process exists; confirm the current minor process directly with your Probate Court.

Name Change After Divorce

Connecticut restores a name as part of the divorce decree itself. Gen. Stat. Section 46b-63 provides that upon entering a decree dissolving a marriage, the court, at either spouse's request, restores that spouse's birth name or former name, a decree-based mechanism rather than a separate petition. See Connecticut divorce laws for the broader dissolution process.

Publication

Connecticut has no newspaper-publication or notice-by-publication step for the general Superior Court complaint process, confirmed directly from the current text of Gen. Stat. Section 52-11. Whether the Probate Court pathway involves any notice step was not confirmed for this guide; ask your Probate Court directly.

Restrictions

Connecticut's name-change restriction is narrowly targeted rather than a general felony bar. Under Gen. Stat. Section 52-11(b), a person required to register as a sexual offender, or convicted of a crime involving a deadly weapon, must notify the state Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection before filing and include a sworn statement that the change is not sought to avoid criminal consequences. The Commissioner can challenge the application, and the court can deny it if it finds the change is intended to evade legal consequences. If the court grants the change, the clerk must notify the Commissioner if the person appears in the relevant registries.

Marriage-Based Name Change

Connecticut has no statute specifically codifying marriage-based name changes. A newly married person typically updates their last name by presenting a marriage certificate to the Social Security Administration and Connecticut's Department of Motor Vehicles, the customary practice used in most states without a dedicated marriage statute.

Domestic Violence and Safety Considerations

The materials reviewed for this guide did not confirm a Connecticut-specific publication waiver or sealing program tied directly to the name-change statutes for domestic violence survivors, though the Superior Court complaint process already involves no publication step for anyone. Anyone changing their name for safety reasons should raise the concern directly with the court, Superior or Probate, handling the case. A confidential court record, if one is available, does not automatically make a new name confidential with the Social Security Administration or the U.S. State Department, which apply their own separate rules.

Related Connecticut Records

See Connecticut marriage and divorce records for obtaining certified copies your petition may require, and Connecticut court records for how name-change case files fit into the state's broader court-records rules.

For the general nationwide process, see how to legally change your name, what it costs to change your name, and the post-name-change checklist.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information about Connecticut name-change law. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The Probate Court fee-elimination detail in this guide relies on secondary reporting rather than a directly confirmed official fee schedule. Verify current fees, forms, and procedures with the Superior Court or Probate Court where you plan to file, or with a licensed Connecticut attorney, before relying on anything here for a specific situation.

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Last updated: 2026-08-11. Fees and forms reflect their published status as of August 2026.